Title: Rescue

Wordcount: 554

Rating: PG

Characters: Castiel, OCs

Summary: The Hunters were about to die... then rescue came, in the form of a creature wearing a trenchcoat. (contains OC POV)

Spoilers/Warning: If you know who Castiel is, you're OK. Set sometime between 5.01 and 5.10.

Many thanks go to jonjokeat for betaing this story for me.

Martha cursed. The two demons the trio of hunters had been expecting had turned out to be close to two dozen. They were dead. They'd been ambushed and dragged back to the abandoned barn the demons were using as a base.

The demons were laughing as they surrounded the hunters. The leader- wearing a boy in his late teens- was grinning wickedly as he watched his minions stay just out of reach. They were going to toy with the three Hunters first.

Martha lifted her head. She'd go out as best she could. She knew she was dead, but she wouldn't give up. She was tied up, but she could still resist. She felt Bob tense beside her, while on her other side, Chris shifted slightly to give her room.

A second later, a brilliant light filled one corner of the barn. At least half the demons turned to face it. Luckily for Martha, she could see exactly what had happened.

A man wearing a trench coat and cheap suit had just… appeared and touched one of the demons. A second later, the demon was gone and the body was dropping to the ground.

He ignored the rest of the demons and turned to face their leader. "Leave, now," he ordered, "Or I will destroy all of you."

The demon spat on the ground. "Overgrown pigeon," he sneered. "You're alone. You can't beat us all."

The man's lips curled up into what could be called a grin, if it wasn't so predatory. "I don't have to kill all of you," he said. "I just have to kill you." A second later a strange short sword appeared in his hand.

For the first time, he acknowledged the hunters with a nod. Then the demons rushed at him.

Martha started to struggle with the ropes tying her to the chair, but stopped just as quickly. It was almost beautiful, the way the man fought through the demons. He was brutal, quick, and lethal, but it still seemed like a dance.

And within seconds, half a dozen demons were on the ground, and he was approaching the leader.

"Now, angel, I'm sure we can talk about this… I'm doing important work. I've got a line on the vessels, if I find them, I can…"

"You will not find them," the… angel? said. "You misunderstand why I am here."

He grabbed the demon's head and focused. Light built up, and then faded. "I am not here to find the vessels." He told the empty host. He gently lowered the body to the ground and looked around at the other demons. "Spread the word, demons. Hunters are under Heaven's protection. Now leave those hosts, before I kill you all."

The demons left their hosts quickly, all of them. The angel turned to the hunters, a slight smile on his face. He strode over to them, and easily broke the ropes holding them down.

"You should leave before they return," he said gravely.

"Wait," Martha called. "Are you really an angel?"

"I am," he said. "And I am trying to stop the end." He looked up before he disappeared to the sound of flapping wings.

Martha gaped at the spot where he'd been standing before turning back to her partners.

"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Bob asked.